About the Equipment

This chapter is a report card on our trikes. Both Steven and I own ICE trikes (Inspired Cycle Engineering) that are made in Cornwall, England. I bought my first one about four years ago and the only problem has been related to jet lag foggy brain as reported in an earlier blog. Otherwise it has performed flawlessly. 

ICE trikes are well engineered and user friendly. When we take them on a bus It takes us about 15 minutes to fold them and have them ready to load. We remove both mirrors, the seat and both wheels if necessary to fit in smaller storage compartments.   

Our trikes were purchased from Chip Stearn who owns The Recumbent Trike Store in Louisville, Colorado. He sells more ICE trikes than any other dealer in the US and ships trikes,parts and advice nationwide. Because of his vast experience he was able to offer us advice and counseling about equipment and preparation for our trip. The customer service Chip provides is outstanding and it paid off handsomely on our trip so we could focus on the ride and not what we were riding. 

I prefer riding a recumbent trike over other styles for several reasons.  The reclining position is just downright comfortable. Traditional bikes cause fatigue in my hands, arms and butt after a short time. My recumbent is where I sit when I stop to rest. 

Another advantage is the stability. They have a low center of gravity and with three wheels they are a workhorse for carrying gear. That can be a blessing and a curse depending on how much self discipline one shows while choosing what to pack. Even with heavy loads I have no need to put a foot down when stopped. 

I believe my recumbent provides me extra safety in traffic. It may seem counter intuitive but being down low makes me more visible. To any driver approaching from front or back I am eye catching because I am unique. I have had cars pass me with a wide birth and then pass an upright allowing much less clearance. The reason I carry flags is to be visible to cars pulling out of driveways. Being down low makes me invisible if there are parked cars. 

Finally they are fun to ride and that means I am getting exercise while having fun.  Enough said